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Reviews For: Radio Works Carolina Windom 80

Category: Antennas: HF: Verticals; Wire; Loop

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Review Summary For : Radio Works Carolina Windom 80
Reviews: 85MSRP: 89.95
Description:
Multi-band wire antenna with increasing gain vs frequency
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.radioworks.com/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15854.1
N8NB Rating: 2008-12-05
Not a QRO antenna Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This antenna was great for getting DXCC on 80 meters. However, it cannot handle any sustained power level. Blew mine working sweepstakes at 1500w ssb for about an hour. When they were asked about this, they said you can't operate key down!
Don't buy it if you are interested in rtty or working contests.
K4LD Rating: 2008-07-06
2 Failed with need of QC Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
When I first got the antenna, it was MAGIC, If I herd it, I could work it with 100 Watts. Then I started to have problems, I could hear nothing on the antenna, and I sent it off to Jim for repair.

Out of the box, from Jim, I could not hear anything, I checked my coax, rig, connectors, it's the antenna. I went back, called Jim up, and we agreed on a replacement. When this antenna arrived, NOTHING. IT WOULD NOT HEAR ANYTHING!!!!!

I would warn you about touching radio works products. If an antenna does not work out of the box,and is not fixed after I sent it to him for repair, do you think he checks his work to make sure it's done correctly?
WJ1R Rating: 2008-01-26
Has Worked Well for 5 Years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this antenna up for five years. It is strung through trees at 40 feet with #13 insulated wire.

It has worked very well on all bands with my 811H amp running 600 watts. The antenna has withstood countless blizzards and Nor'easters. I carefully weatherproofed all seams, including around the support-line eye screws, and have not had a problem.

The EZNEC antenna-modeling program suggests that the vertical radiating component of the antenna significantly reduces nulls in the radiation pattern on 20 meters and higher. Signal reports seem to confirm this.
KQ4KK Rating: 2007-11-05
It worked for 2 years! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had it up for 2 years. Followed all the instructions to seal it from the wx. Followed all the instructions to not put high power into it.

It died this past weekend. I could not get it to load, put the MFJ 249 analyser on it, could not see a low SWR on any freq. Took it down. Looks like black tar coming out the top balun bottom drain hole. Shorted out.

I put up a regular 80m, 120ft dipole, back into business. However, when the Windom was working, it was better than just a dipole. But, at $140, going bad every two years, not good. "Needs help". I'll try it again when I don't see all the warning on their web site.
ON6CV Rating: 2007-06-15
Nice product ! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
About the Radio Works Carolina Windom CW-80 multiband wire antenna.

I was looking for a long time for a stealth multiband antenna to put here in my backyard to complete with the 3EL beam and my vertical. The antenna should be neighbor friendly both regarding RFI and low visual profile, of course if this antenna is doing the job in the air, why not ! Well, It's not very easy to find such an antenna on the market... Every antenna is the best antenna you can buy if you only trust those adds in magazines. Over the years I tried (not everything) but some of the classics (en vrac as we say in french !) : T2FD, G5RV JR, G5RV, Diamond W-8010, Sagant MT-240X, dipoles, FD4, etc...

As stated in the Radio Works product manual, the antenna should be installed as a flat top, straight, with the central matching unit that can be a bit lower than the antenna edges (which adds to the performance I think). Fortunately, I have the antenna in this situation but not high enough at first ! The vertical radiator should be "vertical" of course and at first the antenna was not at 33 feet (10m) up above the ground, the vertical radiator was lying a bit on the ground, say 3 feet (1m) not more. Not recommended is an inverted V configuration with an angle less than 140° between the legs nor as a sloper.

I tried the antenna in this "far from being ideal position"... And surprisingly, it works very fine ! The resonant frequency is right in the middle of the lowest band (for me at 3600 to 3700 khz !). On all the other bands, the SWR stay in the acceptable range for my Kenwood TS-870S ATU (under 3.0:1 everywhere !). I can't play on top band as I have background noise at S9+ over the entire 160m band here (I never found out why however ! Industries or power lines ?).

I worked with this antenna for 2 months and today, the matching unit (central isolator which is not on the center of course this is a windom antenna, the unit is at the third of the total length) of the antenna is installed at 33 feet (10m) thanks to a black fiber glass mast like the one sold by Spiderbeam. Now I think the antenna is in it's ideal position. I have to say that I'm living in a small lot here and I have neighbors all around except above my head ! Once installed, 2 or 3 days later the brilliant copper wire is not shining anymore in the sun thanks to the rain and dust (copper is not protected on this antenna) and it's better like this. The wire is almost invisible in the air, the central matching is white however but it is acceptable ! I'd like to thank my fellow neighbor named Jacques too... He helps to erect the antenna in the air AND the longest leg of the CW-80 is attached to an aluminum mast we installed in his backyard ! Our gardens and houses are 180° apart so my garden combined with the length of his garden was perfect the put the 133 feet long antenna ! We are good friends, we were digging holes together in our gardens when we were 8 years old child ! So, sometimes neighbors can contribute to our hobby and everything is not always dark ! Just be smart with them when you're using the 1kw linear !

About the Radio Works product manual, this is not just adds for their products but it is a real course how to install a shack and fight against RFI and ground loops. I eliminate all the troubles I had here just reading that book and using some line insulator T-4 and RG-8X coax jumpers. My shack is on the second floor and keeping a Tentec Orion happy in this RF environnement was a real challenge !

The most difficult thing is not to install a Carolina Windom antenna but it's to try to reach Jim W4THU via e-Mail ! It's almost IMPOSSIBLE ! His spam filter is so powerful that no one can go thru it ! Jim must be a happy man with no spam... And no mails from customers ! I tried to reach him 4 times over the last month... No chance !

My antenna is coming from really serious people here in Europe, UK dealer Waters & Stanton PLC.

I gave this product a 5 stars for the quality of the product and the very low price for such a excellent product.

I gave a 5 stars also to the spam filter used by Jim at Radio Works ! :-)

Regards
73
Eric de ON6CV / OT6C
KT9O Rating: 2006-12-22
Like the Energizer bunny........ Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Carolina windom 80 is still going strong. It's old, gnarled, and showing its age, but still works perfectly. Its flat all across the 20 meter band at this location, too. Its been good value for the money and you can still get one just like it.
K6RIM Rating: 2006-10-16
Outstanding! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Compared to my Hy-Gain Hy-Tower vertical on 80 meters, domestic signals are 1 to 4 S-units louder on the Carolina Windom 80. To be fair, radials need some work on the Hy-Tower. Nonetheless, I suspect that even if the radials were FB, the Carolina Windom 80 would still outperform the Hy-Tower on 80 for domestic contacts. SWR on 80 is 1.1:1; on 75, it's 1.5:1.
Bottom line: It works great! (The Carolina Windom is 60' high strung between tall trees.

(Incorrectly previously posted this review to Radio Works Carolina Windom 80 Special).

former_W7MH Rating: 2006-04-28
EXCELLENT WIRE ANTENNA Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I operate from central California. The antenna is in an inverted V configuration with the apex at 55ft. The proof that this antenna really works comes from what I have been able to put in the log! 3Y0X on 30m and 40m cw, 40m ssb, plus a 30m rtty qso! S01R on 30m and 40m cw. The YX0LIX on 30m and 40m cw and ssb. I also have this same antenna at our cabin near Yosemite National Park, was able to work the KP5 with 100w on 15m ssb! This antenna works very well indeed! Try it!
W4VD Rating: 2006-04-22
Works on 160 too! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I just thought I would mention that I shorted the end of the feedline and connected it to the longwire connector on the tuner and it tunes nicely on 160, I just did this the first of April and I worked 11 countries in the first 2 nights on 160 with high noise (about 10-20DB over S9 QRN) I was amazed how well it worked. 8 of the 11 were in Europe and I also worked California 599 from NC so all of the RF at this QTH is not going into the clouds above. I told Jim at RadioWorks about my success and he said "sometimes" it worked well on 160 like mine, but since not all installations have good results they didn't mention it in the intructions, so if you don't have a lot of room for a 160 antenna, I would recommend trying your CW80, if I had done this last fall I am sure I would have a lot more than 11 countries worked on top band barefoot (amp hasn't got 160).
As far as it's normal configuration, it's just one great antenna. You won't go wrong with this one, and every CW80 user I have talked to on the air is just as pleased as I am. It really shines on 75 meters, I rarely have to call more than 3 times, most times it's the 1st call with 1500 watts. I have worked many DX stations barefoot with it as well. It's a great performer and at the price they go for it's a bargain.
W2BIE Rating: 2006-01-29
best wire antenna i have ever used Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
my g5rv came down in a wind storm in december 2005, and i asked a few of my friends what wire antenna would be equal or better than the g5rv. my long time friend k2ljh suggested i look into the carolina windom. he brought over a radio works catalog and we both thought the carolina windom 80 should do the trick.i called up radio works and ordered the 80. 2 days later ups brought it to my door, i was very fortunate that the day it was to go up, was a beautiful sunny day with the temperature around 60 degrees.it took one and a half hours and i was in business.it is up at 35 feet, and i am hearing and working stations i never thought i could work on 40 and 80 meters.it is really a great antenna, well designed and built.i recommend the carolina windom 80 to everyone i meet on the air, or in person at our local club meetings. tnx radio works for building such a fine product. 73, lew w2bie